1. The Heron Tower

The Heron Tower was completed last year and is currently the City’s tallest building standing 46 storeys tall and offering over 40,000 square meters of commercial office space. Located at 110 Bishopsgate, close to our own Palladia serviced office building at 288 Bishopsgate EC2, this development benefits from the perfect City of London location and has been a popular new addition to the area.

Heron Tower – Photo by Harshil Shah

2. The Pinnacle

Undoubtedly the most problematic of the group, work on The Pinnacle (formally named The Bishopsgate Tower and sometimes referred to as the Helter Skelter for its twisting design) has recently ground to a halt. In order to secure the finances required to complete the work, the developer Arab Finance must now work hard to pre-let the space in order to unlock previously agreed funding. Unfortunately the future of this particular building looks very uncertain and the date of estimated completion, originally 2013 has recently been set back to 2015.

3. Walkie Talkie

20 Fenchurch St, which is being developed by Land Securities has been nicknamed the Walkie Talkie, for its top heavy design and uncanny resemblance to the hand held device. Following criticism about the building’s height and impact on the views of St Pauls Cathedral the original design has been scaled down by 9 floors from 45 to 36. This London property will be primarily used for commercial office space but it will also feature a large viewing deck and sky gardens on the roof, both of which will be open to the public. This office property is scheduled for completion in 2014.

4. The Cheese Grater

The Cheese Grater located at 122 Leadenhall Street is adjacent to the Lloyd’s building and close to our own serviced office property at 148 Leadenhall Street in the heart of the City’s insurance district. The 48 storey London office building which is being developed by British Land and Oxford Securities will be ready for occupation mid 2014, with 10 floors rumoured to have been pre-let to Aon Corporation.

5. The Shard (of Glass)

Perhaps the most talked about and eagerly anticipated building on our list, construction began in March 2009 and the building has an estimated completion date of May this year, hopefully just in time for the London 2012 Olympics. The Shard is located in London Bridge on the South Bank of the City and is being marketed as a ‘mixed use’ property which will incorporate commercial and residential space as well as a 5 star hotel over 18 floors. Once completed this 76 storey iconic building will be the tallest in Europe and will feature the capital’s highest viewing gallery with 360 degree panoramic views of London.

The Shard – Photo by jpn_gy’s

Opinion on this new generation of sky scrapers has been mixed. For example Ken Shuttleworth the architect who led the team at Norman Foster’s firm that designed the Gherkin has said “The tall glass box is dead” and “The age of bling is over”. While others believe that they are just the first step in innovation that London needs to thrive and survive in a competitive global marketplace. What’s your opinion on this new generation of London office space? Would you pay more to be located in one of the City’s iconic new skyscrapers or do you prefer to keep you rent low and your feet on the ground?

Let us know in the comments section below.

Networking events are quite a broad category. The term covers any events, including presentations and workshops, where you will be likely to meet business people who could help you and your company in some way.

Conferences and seminar can be great places to make contact
Photo by Official GDC

The Business Benefits of Networking

So why is networking so important? How can it help your business? Well, here are a few of the biggest benefits:

• Learn from experienced business leaders

Lots of people are more than happy to share their advice on how to run a successful business. This is especially interesting for new business owners, but even if you’ve run businesses before, getting advice from other people is always useful. You can also find out about local business services, such as serviced offices.

• Make connections

Having connections is always helpful and is the best way to open up opportunities for new business. Networking can help you win contracts and presents you with many opportunities to meet potential business partners, investors and freelance workers.

• Establish your name in an area

It’s no secret that word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of marketing. Getting a good reputation in your local area is a great way to provide a stable base for most small businesses, although of course this benefit varies depending on the nature of your work.

Top Tips for Networking

There are no set rules for business networking, but there are some things you can think about in advance to help you get the most out of networking events.

• Look for local groups in your area

These are often cheaper and are just as useful as more renowned networks. Many large networking groups are too expensive for start ups and often you are only paying for the name. Your local Chambers of Commerce can be a good place to start, as these are often reasonably priced. They also offer training courses as well as networking opportunities.

• Stand out

When you attend networking events, you want people to remember you and your business. Make sure you stand out from the crowd – think of a brief, interesting way to describe your company,that highlights what makes your business unique and leaves the other person wanting to find out more. Remember though, you’re there to meet people, not just to promote your company.

• Be memorable.

Make sure that people remember you and can get in touch after the event. Take along some business cards with all of your relevant contact details. Having an original design on your business card can also be a good way to make sure that you’re remembered.

• Be confident

It’s easy to say, but try to come across as confident as possible. One way to achieve this is to do as much preparation as you need to do to feel in control. Some people like to prepare absolutely everything, others like to do the minimum and trust themselves. Know what works for you and do it. Feeling in control of the situation from the start will make it easier to start conversations and meet new people.

• Be considerate

It may sound obvious, but remember your manners and find out about the person you’re talking to and their company. It’s easy to get carried away when you’re nervous or when you’re talking about an idea that you’re enthusiastic about. Of course, enthusiasm is a good thing, but be careful not to completely dominate the conversation.

Do you know any good networking groups in your area? Have you got any networking tips that we haven’t included? Let us know in the comments section below.

The Torch Relay

The excitement begins on the 19th May when the Olympic Torch Relay kicks off its journey across the country. 8,000 inspirational torch bearers have been individually chosen to carry the Olympic flame and their journey, which follows a carefully selected route which will cover over 1000 cities, towns and villages, will come within ten miles of 95 percent of people in the UK. The torch relay alone will be watched by millions of people across the world.

Let the Games Begin

The traditional Olympic opening ceremony, featuring flag bearers representing 144 countries will take place at the Olympic Stadium on 27th Friday July 2012 and will mark the official opening of the games. London will then become a frenzy of activity as 10,500 athletes compete in 302 events across 26 sports until the official closing ceremony on Sunday 12th August. The Paralympic games then begin on 29th August and close on 9th Sept 2012.

Olympic Venues

Many venues will be hosting the action with events taking place across the Olympic Park and throughout London. The 2012 Games will use a mixture of newly built venues, existing facilities, and temporary facilities, some of them in well known locations such as Hyde Park and Horse Guard’s Parade (which will be used for the Beach Volley Ball competition on the doorstep of Downing Street and our own London serviced offices and London virtual offices at 16 Old Queen Street). There are also several venues in use outside of London for activities such as football, rowing and sailing.

Olympic Tourism

During the 2012 Olympics, London will welcome over 320,000 overseas visitors who are expected to boost the UK economy to the value of £2.5 billion. Research has shown that the Chinese and Russians are those most likely to see the Games as a draw and that visitors who come for sporting events are likely to spend almost twice as long in the country. Lord Coe, Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, has said: “London 2012 is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the UK to show all we can offer.”

Travel during London 2012

Much has already been made of the travel disruption that Londoners will experience during the games due to overcrowded transport, road closures and parking restrictions. Six weeks of travel disruption is predicted, especially around London’s travel hotspots such as Bank, King’s Cross and London Bridge, which will experience unprecedented levels demand. As a result, it is anticipated that London commuters will have a difficulty getting to and from work. If you are worried about how the games will impact on your journey to work or on your business transportation, you can found out more on the Travel Advice for Business section of the games website or on our previous London Olympics travel post.

London Olympic business opportunities

650 companies that have already won over £2 billion worth of work supplying the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), over 70 per cent are small and medium (SMEs) sized businesses and 98 per cent are UK based. If you are keen to get involved, visit the Compete For website which is a free service that enables businesses to compete for contract opportunities linked to London 2012. There is still time to get involved! On a less direct level, it is anticipated that London will be synonymous with success and positivity on a worldwide scale and there will be many advantages for businesses based in London during 2012. If you would like to benefit from the positive association of a London business address during 2012, but are not currently based in the capital a London virtual office is the perfect, cost effective solution. A prestigious London business address is available from Executive Offices Group for just £50 per month.

Whether you’re based in London or not, directly involved with the 2012 Games or simply an observer, one thing’s for sure: The Olympic Games are coming to London and 2012 promises to be an exciting, unique and very special year for our vibrant capital city.

Where is the business now?

For a business to ensure growth and progression, it is important to establish a firm idea of where you currently stand, as a first step. This can be achieved by applying a simple marketing tool known as a SWOT analysis. Using a SWOT analysis, you can take a view on the current status of your business objectives, helping you to comprehend your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and where your business is in relation to where you want it to be.

Performing a SWOT analysis – Photo by Port of San Diego

Targets and Objectives

Once your current status has been established and all four parts of the SWOT considered, then the second step is to think about ways and means. Set specific, detailed and clear objectives for the future – these can be done for both the long term and the short term. Split the objectives into realistic milestones and time periods. Doing this enables you to put a planning process into place which helps the business keep on track, record your progress and ensure you have the necessary flexibility to analyse and react to changes in your industry.

Brand Personality

A business requires a personality in order to bring the strategy to life, no matter what the product or service. This construction of a dynamic identity allows a business to differentiate itself from competitors, as well as allowing consumers to personally engage with a brand. A successful brand personality enables a business to attract new customers, while strengthening the loyalty of existing ones. Some tactics that are useful when promoting your brand include:

1. advertising
2. publicity
3. promotional materials
4. web presence
5. sponsorship

Social Media

As a set of tools used by millions of consumers across the world, social media sites are a necessity for virtually any business these days. The various platforms allow businesses to promote to, inform, advertise to and engage with a large targeted audience. Depending on the product or service that you sell, some platforms will be better suited and more relevant to your company than others. The two leading platforms in social media at the moment are microblogs and social networking sites. By using social media platforms successfully, businesses are able to differentiate themselves from competitors and stand out within their sector. The big names are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but others can also be very effective.

Evolution of Social Media

The key benefits of effectively utilising social media platforms:

1. increasing consumer trust in a company
2. personalisation
3. lead generation
4. engaging with customers
5. increasing your online marketing ROI
6. easy access to customer feedback

Cut costs and be adaptable

It is important for a business to identity areas where it can save money and be adaptable to a changing market. One way to do this is to ensure you are able to increase capacity on a short, medium or long term basis, which can be achieved through the use of flexible business services, such as London serviced offices or virtual offices. Buying a virtual office provides you with a business address in a top location. Your business address can be displayed on all of your business collateral and your mail can be handled and forwarded to you.

Furthermore, looking for easy ways to cut back on areas such as on expensive office furniture, non-essential business travel and staff car schemes can also be considered.

To try and help you alleviate some of the Christmas stress and find presents that are a bit different to the normal high street gifts, we’ve put together a list of our top alternative Christmas shopping events around the city.

The Barbican Christmas Fair – The Barbican Centre – December to February

The Barbican is well known as one of the creative centres of London, and Christmas time is most definitely no exception to this. There are many creative Christmas events for the family taking place over the Christmas period, from concerts spanning festive classics like Handel’s Messiah and variations on traditional tunes, including Kate Rusby’s Folk interpretations of carols, to craft fairs and independent pop-up shops. Visit the Duckie Christmas Market from 10th to 30th December for unique gifts from independent sellers, from cakes and gingerbread to high-tech presents. There’s also the Design Den, which is on until the 23rd December, offering a variety of great craft gifts.

For a full list of what’s on, take a look at the Barbican Christmas event listings.

Selfridges

A visit to Selfridges will give you a unique Christmas shopping experience. There are many Christmas events bringing the store to life this season, from serenades by saxophonists and sopranos, to costumed characters and operatic customer service.

For a gift with a difference, bourbon lovers (or their friends and family) should head to the store between 5 and 8pm on 1st December or from 1 to 6pm on 10th December and snap up a fully personalised bottle of Maker’s Mark. Artists will draw your caricature straight on to the label, or someone else’s likeness if you bring a photo along. The perfect present for collectors and connoisseurs alike!

If you can’t make it to the store this December, then don’t worry – they have an online store on Selfridges.com, so you can order your presents from there too.

East London Design Show – Shoreditch Town Hall – 2nd to 4th December

For the biggest selection of independent designers this year, head over to Shoreditch Town Hall for the East London Design Show. Over 100 designers will be selling various goods, including many designs which are new this year. There are facilities for children on site, so this can be a fantastic family event.

Entry costs £5 per adult, with accompanied children getting in for free. Concessions can get in for only £3. The event opens at 10am, closing at 6pm on the 3rd and 4th. Friday 2nd December is late shopping night, when it will be open until 8pm.

Jermyn Street

Jermyn Street is host to a whole range of different shops, and is the perfect place to buy gifts for someone devoted to their personal style. Centrally located in St. James district but also slightly removed from all the main shopping streets, taking a trip to Jermyn Street is a great way to avoid some of the Christmas rush.

This is street is filled with the best outfitters, ladies clothing stores, shoe and accessory shops, including Vincci, Hackett London, DAKS, Church Shoes and Thomas Pink.

Jermyn Street won’t let you down if you’re looking for a special something for the kitchen, or a fantastic food and wine, either – Fortnum and Mason and Paxton and Whitfield can be found here too.

Jewellery Workshop – The London Jewellery School, Hatton Garden – 9th – 14th December

If you’re a DIY person, why not make a few completely unique, very personal presents this year? The London Jewellery School is offering four classes this December, teaching you how to make some beautiful handmade jewellery. This is a perfect way to make some individual gifts and avoid busy London shopping streets at the same time.

The course runs from 6:30pm to 9pm and costs £49 per person.

We Make London Christmas Fair – Battersea Arts Centre – 10th December

Where in London can you find handmade gifts from 86 UK designers? Try the Battersea Arts Centre on Saturday 10th December, between 11am and 5pm. We Make London is putting on a Christmas fair to promote the work of some of the UK’s best independent designers. The fair isn’t just based around buying presents – with a stage, a workshop area and the chance to gift wrap your presents while you’re there, using freely available accessories and handmade wrapping paper. There are also people around to help you out if you’re having trouble finding particular presents. This is a great chance to have a fun day out with the family, while getting some of your Christmas shopping out of the way – all the while avoid the busy London shopping streets!

Entrance won’t break the bank either – £2 for adults, free for children. So come along to this and support some talented people. If you want to know more about the people involved, visit the We Make London blog, where they regularly post profiles of the designers.

Do you have any alternative London Christmas shopping events or shops you’ll be visiting this year? Leave us a comment and let us know.

You’ll need to think ahead before they visit too. Have they been to the city before? Will they need advice or a guide? Have they made provisions to get around? Do they have somewhere to stay? Take a look at our guides to the best hotels in the city of London and the West End if you need help on these key points.

So what are the best ways to entertain a client in London? Here are our five top suggestions.

London Theatres

London is a fantastic city for the theatre. Those looking for a cultured evening certainly won’t be short on good location. The Barbican is an excellent location for all sorts of cultural events, and the theatre is no exception. Theatre Monkey provides a useful seating guide to this venue, which gives you details on which seats provide the best views and other details, such as which rows have limited leg room.

For a variety of great adaptation of contemporary plays or classics, pay a visit to one of the three theatres at the National Theatre in Southbank, just across the river from some London virtual offices at 15 Old Bailey. There are some brilliant plays coming to this venue in the near future too, including Pulitzer prize finalist Detroit in 2012.

Go Out for a Meal

Taking a client out for meal can be a great way to show them a bit of the city. The pleasant, discrete setting of a nice restaurant can also be the perfect place to chat over the specifics of a deal, as well as an opportunity to get know a client. London is hardly short of places to eat, but if you’re looking to impress then obviously you have got to pick carefully. Ask around, take advice from friends and colleagues, read a few professional reviews – in other words, do your research. To start with, why not take a look at our previous post on the best venues to have a business lunch in London?

For something a bit different, a champagne lunch on a boat is sure to make an impression.

Drinks in Town

What better way to get to know a client than a good night out at a few pubs or bars? This is another one that is good to get some recommendations on. Have a read of our guide to some of the best London pubs – there are also a few more ideas for where to go for a good business lunch.

If you were imagining a night at a bar instead, then there are lots of good places in the city. Try The Blue Bar at The Berkley if you really want to impress – but perhaps one to avoid if your budget is limited. Looking for amazing cocktails? Try The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych, which is famous for its mixology, including some outstanding seasonal cocktails.

Sports

If your trying to impress a sports fanatic, then you’re in the right place. Lots of sports now put on day/night games and London is host to a whole range of internationally renowned venues. For cricket fans, why not hire a corporate box at Lord’s or the Oval for a day? Wembley Stadium corporate boxes are ideal for football lovers. Rugby League fans can also see a few games at Wembley, although Twickenham is of course the one you want for the big Rugby Union games. Remember to check out the many local sporting clubs in London too.

Have you visited any of these locations? Have you got any suggestions for entertaining business clients in London? Let us know in the comments section below.

London Gateway Port is the UK’s most advanced deep-sea container port, integrated with Europe’s largest logistics park. This multi-million pound project will benefit London, its residents and the local economy in a number of different ways. The creation of this Gateway will represent a synthesis between shipping and distribution in order create a faster and more efficient way to transfer manufactured goods from the large global brands.

Take a look at this video, ‘The London Gateway Port in 60 seconds’:

We’re going to answer three simple questions to do with this phenomenal investment: When and where will it be constructed? Who’s going to benefit from it? Why is the port being built?

When? and Where?

The project is currently under construction, with hundreds of operators working behind the scenes to have the Gateway on its feet by 2013. The site is located approximately 25 miles east of central London at Stanford-le-Hope, and new land is being created alongside the development as it goes.

Who will Benefit?

A project on this scale will benefit a great number of people. In addition to the benefits that such a large new distribution network will bring to businesses, it will open up 36,000 new jobs for UK residents. A further 1,000 new jobs – 700 construction jobs and 300 new port jobs – will open in the upcoming months, according to UKTI. Internationally, London Gateway will significantly strengthen the UK’s ports and logistics offerings, and will become the stop off point for one of the core cities in the global economy. To avoid all those infamous London roads that we all know so much about, this project will provide rail-connected logistical solutions, minimising the need for road travel. London Gateway is doing its part for the environment too, by taking 2,000 heavy goods vehicles off UK roads every day. Many business developments are beginning to look for ways to take traffic off UK roads, as congestion for commuters and pollution are reaching high levels. These same advantages can be gained from using virtual offices, as discussed in a previous post.

Why?

Currently in the UK there is an aggressive demand for an increase in port capacity, and a need to evolve from the conventional distribution system. From a consumer perspective, this new focus on direct distribution will minimise the overall journey of the product by removing the need to use more large docks. In the words of DP World chief executive, Mohammed Sharaf, “If the goods come directly to you, the cost is cheaper and you get them faster”.

It is also estimated that the port could produce an extra £3.2 billion per year for the country. For more information on how this project will benefits UK businesses, watch this video:

What are your thoughts on the construction of the new London Gateway? Will it affect you or your business in any way? Let us know in the comment section below.

To help you answer these questions, we’ve put together some suggestions on how to reduce your London commuting costs.

Cycle to Work

Finding more financially viable alternatives is essential, as the increase shows no immediate sign of ceasing. Fares are going to keep rising, even as budgets get tighter – according to a spokesman for the Association of Train Operating Companies, “The Government has decided that many fares need to rise above inflation for the next three years to help pay for more trains, better stations and faster services.”.

So what alternatives are there? The government has introduced a system that proposes commuters ride a bicycle to the office instead of driving or using public transport, called the ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme. The system is two-pronged: firstly, it is a ‘green’ option aimed at cutting the carbon emissions around the country. Secondly, it is a programme that offers some significant individual financial benefits.

Employers initially purchase the bicycle on behalf of the employee who will then (over a number of months) have the payments deducted from their wages, with VAT to be claimed back. Under this scheme you can get a tax-free bicycle, which means commuters can save around 40% compared to the shop price. If your bike replaces the majority of your travel by car, bus or tube, you could save yourself hundreds of pounds a year – maybe even thousands.

Barclays “Boris” Bikes

If you are not familiar with the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme, you’re sure to have seen the iconic blue bikes around the city. These can be found at a large number of locations in central London – including a terminal outside some of our offices at 33 St. James’s Square – and can be used by members or casual users. There are a number of payment options available, meaning it’s easy to find a set up that suits you and your needs. Regular users can get a membership card to make hiring a quick and easy as possible. Casual users can easily pay online, by phone, or at one of the terminals. It’s a great and cost effective way to travel around the centre of London.

For more information on the scheme, view this video:

Virtual Offices

Another viable solution is to avoid London altogether. By using London virtual offices, you can have the advantage of a prestigious business address in the capital without incurring the considerable overheads of renting London office space all year-round, not to mention the savings to be made by removing the daily commuting cost.

Our 30 London business centres offer a variety of virtual office and associated services. As well as mail handling and telephone answering, we also offer touchdown facilities, executive business lounge membership and meeting rooms, meaning that customers only pay for a physical place to work as and when they actually need it. This gives virtual customers the best of both worlds – the prominence and respectability of a London office address and outstanding business centre facilities available on a flexible basis.

This alternative works particularly well for small businesses, start-ups, companies testing new markets, mobile companies, and businesses that are based at home and do not require physical office space in London. If you want a more permanent presence in the city, take a look at hiring one of our serviced offices.

Have you got any tips for cutting the cost of London commuting? Let us know in the comments section below.

It’s best not to take your chances when parking in London – parking rules vary in many places and fines for transgressions are usually high. Between fines, clamping and towing, parking in the wrong place at the wrong time can often add up to a hefty sum.

To help you to cut down on your parking stress and find the best prices around, we’ve put together a list of our top five apps for finding parking spots in London.

Top Five Parking Help Websites and Apps

Parkopedia / AA

Parkopedia is a great website for looking up parking information for London. Unsurprisingly, it is based on the Wikipedia model – a collaborative community effort in which users contribute new information and rate existing entries. It is extremely comprehensive, listing on-street parking, metered areas and spaces rented out by private owners, alongside the locations of regular car parks. The interface allows you to filter the map according to each of these types of locations too, making it easier to find the type of space you are looking for. Additional filters give you even more control, allowing you to view the congestion charge zones, park and ride locations, secure parking areas, and motorcycle parking locations, to name just a few. Not only this, but the whole thing is completely free to use.

But the really clever bit is its app, produced in conjunction with the AA. This gives you all the functionality of the main website on your mobile, whilst taking advantage of inbuilt GPS in smartphones to serve recommendations based on your location (or you can manually enter a location). This is fairly standard for a smartphone app these days, but Parkopedia also gives you accurate prices, opening hours and real-time information on available spaces (where the data is available). Not only that, but when you’ve chosen a car park, the app can direct you to the entrance – the new version even includes height restrictions, so you don’t risk getting stuck in larger vehicles. Unfortunately, this isn’t free like its website counterpart is, and will set you back £1.99. Currently it is only available for Android, iPhone and iPad, but they are working on versions for Blackberry, Nokia and Windows Phones.

Park-Up

As with Parkopedia, Park-Up is a free to use website with detailed information on London car parks. The site provides you with detailed information, including opening times, tariff, payment type (many London car parks ask you to pay by mobile phone), and whether it is located in the congestion charge zone – with the chance to pay the charge ahead of time. There is also detailed information on the type of fines you can expect in each borough, which is tailored according to your search, as well as local clamping and towing policies. Lastly, you get detailed crime information about the area, with a risk rating and the number of incidents for certain types of vehicle crime.

All this functionality is available in an app, with the addition of height restrictions and security arrangements. Once again, this app uses your location to help you find the best spot. It should be noted that it’s slightly more expensive than most of its competitors at £2.99, and is currently only available on iPhone, but should be rolled out to Android and Blackberry soon.

NCP (National Car Parks)

The website for the NCP is very comprehensive and well designed – but as a private car park provider, the search only looks for car parks that they own. This is still a significant number of locations in London, but is nevertheless limited and doesn’t provide as much flexibility as similar websites.

So what about their app? Once again, this only searches their own locations. On the other hand, it does include some pretty nifty features. The GPS integration extends to providing you with a walking route between your car and your destination, and the ability to record the location of your car so that it’s easy to find again when you return to the car park. Finally, you casn book airport parking in advance through the app and get in touch with customer services team. It also has the advantage of being available for free. This is only available for iPhone and Android, with no indication that it will be available on other smartphones any time soon.

iParkmycar

iParkmycar seems to be an app only. At least that’s what we can gather, as ‘Buy Now’ is the only button the website that worked for us (not a good start). The app, however, is fairly impressive. Other than helping you to find car parks of all sorts, from private parking to supermarkets, the app also allows you to save your favourite locations. The best feature is a timer that tells you when your meter is going to run out, helping you to avoid fines and towing. Accompanying this, it tells you when parking wardens operate in various boroughs. One final feature that is good for avoiding fines is an alert that tells you when you’re in the congestion zone. Other than that, it contains similar functions to the other apps, including GPS functionality – though no sign of height restriction information.

It’s also the cheapest out of the general car park locators, at only £0.69. Currently only available for iPhone and iPad.

Nosey Parker

Once again, Nosey Parker is app-only. It covers 144,000 spaces in London, including a number of free ones. It includes some interesting functionality, including the ability to sort results to find disabled spaces, parent/toddler suitable areas, and the safest spots. It is reliable and well-laid out, but is probably the least original and most limited of the apps listed here. It’s still worth keeping an eye on, though, as it may do more interesting things in the future.

It is one of the more expensive apps for parking at £2.99, and is currently only available for the iPhone.

Do you know any good apps or website to help with parking in London that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments section below.

There’s no catch-all venue: the restaurant you chose should depend on the type of meeting and the people involved. We’ve put a list of our favourite places in London, including information on price, location and suitability for alternative diets – all the information you need to avoid making a food faux pas at your business lunch.

Best Places to Business Lunch in London

The Ivy

We’ll start off with a tried-and-tested classic: The Ivy. If you’re unsure about where to go, this is a safe bet. The food and service are unbeatable. The menu is mainly based around classic dishes, done exceptionally well. The Ivy isn’t the place for unorthodox, Heston-esque combinations. With dishes to suit all tastes, including a full vegetarian menu, it’s hard to go wrong.

The Hawksmoor

If catering for vegetarians is not high on your list of considerations, then you would be well advised to head to The Hawksmoor in Covent Garden. This is a US style steakhouse, which also does great cocktails. A few vegetarian options are available, but it is the steak that The Hawksmoor is renowned for. This one is a must for meat lovers.

La Cuisine

Joël Robuchon is a world renowned chef, and rightly so. His restaurants have earned an incredible 26 Michelin stars between them – more than any other chef in the world. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is definitely no exception to this. The outstanding food is sure to impress and the menu, which uses fresh seasonal ingredients, is varied enough to cater for most tastes. There are also entirely separate vegetarian menus on offer.

The decor looks almost as good as the food, too. For a restaurant which is better suited to a business lunch, though, chose the first floor La Cuisine rather than the more unusual L’Atelier on the ground floor.

St James’s Hotel and Club

Michelin-starred Seven Park Place at the St James’s Hotel and Club has been serving up exquisite food under the expert eye of Executive Chef William Drabble since 2009. Influenced by French cuisine but using primarily British ingredients, William’s dishes change to reflect the season, with dishes such as seared foie gras with caramelised pears and ginger syrup, and assiette of Lune Valley lamb with garlic puree and rosemary jus for September.

An additional bonus is that Executive Offices Group customers receive preferential room rates at the St James’s, and with it being located so close to London serviced offices at Park Place, there’s no excuse not to sample the delicious food on offer.

The Cinnamon Club – Photograph by Kim S

The Cinnamon Club

For Indian food, you would be well advised to try The Cinnamon Club. Hosted in a grand building that was previously the Westminster Library, this a perfect location for those who enjoy both spicy food and wine. The pairings are fantastic, and their wine dinners are rightly held in high regard. There are inventive, spicy dishes for carnivores and vegetarians alike, and plenty to chose from – including an eight-course meal.

The Greenhouse

If you’re really looking to impress, then we suggest The Greenhouse. This outstanding restaurant will set you (or your expense account, more accurately) back a fair amount, but you won’t regret it. This one Michelin star restaurant, headed by chef Antonin Bonnet, serves some of the best French food in London, using seasonal ingredients. The wine selection here is arguably the best in city, so make sure to get a bottle while you are there. Be sure to book far in advance, as this is one of the top restaurants in Mayfair.

Club Gascon

In a beautiful old building in Smithfield, once a Lyons Tea House, you’ll find the Michelin starred Club Gascon. Here you can experience a range of meals, based in the gastronomy of South-West France. Courses are small and numerous – five courses for the Lunch & Dinner menu – focusing on unusual (but not outrageous) taste combinations. The meals cover all tastes, including vegetarian options, although it’s always advisable to check ahead to be sure.

While you’re there, be sure to take advantage of outstanding wine cellar, which is home to many wines from southern France, chosen each season to complement the menu. Service here is highly professional and attentive, although can be slightly cold.

1 Lombard Street

This fine dining restaurant, set in a stunning grade II listed building, is on the higher end of our recommendations. 1 Lombard Street is right in the middle of the Square Mile, opposite the Bank of England and close to London serviced offices at 60 Lombard Street. If your party has diverse dietary requirements, then check the menu ahead of your visit. An ideal restaurant if you’re really looking to impress and budget isn’t an issue. For a less expensive alternative, take a look at their Brasserie.

Hakkasan

Hakkasan, a restaurant that serves modern takes on Chinese food, is going from strength to strength. Dishes suitable for a range of tastes are available, from more traditional dishes to more unique courses, such as the Peking duck with Royal Beluga caviar, one of the signature dishes. It has retained its 2003 Michelin star for good reasons.

There are two locations in the city – we recommend the restaurant at Hanway Place. This is five minutes walk from our London serviced offices at 17 Cavendish Square.

L’Anima

If you are looking for Italian cuisine, then L’Anima is the ideal place for your business lunch. The style is very minimalist, providing a relaxing atmosphere that is free of distractions. Thanks to the acoustics of the room, it is very easy to hold discussions without being overheard by your neighbours. One potential downfall, however, is that vegetarian options are very limited.

The restaurant also boasts a great bar for pre-dinner drinks, including cocktails and champagne. This is also a wonderful location for wine lovers, with a broad selection of Italian wines.

Have you visited any of these restaurants? Have we missed any of your favourite locations for a business lunch in London? Let us know in the comments section below.